Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat oven to 170°C/340°F. Grease 26cm x 35cm (10¼-inch x 14-inch) baking dish; line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm (2 inches) above sides.
2.Make cakes according to directions on packets. Spread mixture into baking dish; bake about 1 hour. Stand cake in dish 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.
3.Make jelly according to packet directions; pour into 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) shallow pan. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until jelly is the consistency of unbeaten egg whites.
4.To make butter cream, beat the butter (and any flavouring, if using) in a small narrow bowl with an electric mixer until the butter is as white as possible (this will result in a whiter butter cream which will give you better results if colouring it). Gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar then the milk, then the remaining icing sugar. Beat until the butter cream is smooth and spreadable. Keep scraping down the side of the bowl during beating.
5.Meanwhile, level cake top. Using pattern from pattern sheet, cut out pond. Using a small serrated knife and a tablespoon, scoop out a recess in the centre of the cake, about 4cm (1½ inches) deep, leaving a 2cm (¾-inch) border around the edges. Secure cake, cut-side up, on cake board with a little butter cream.
6.Tint butter cream green; spread over sides and top edge of cake, leave recess plain. When jelly is ready, pour into recess in cake; refrigerate until jelly is set.
7.Meanwhile, make frogs by securing jewelry beads to tops of flying saucer lollies with a little butter cream; secure choc drops to beads for eyes.
8.To make lily pads, slice green licorice tube into thin rounds; using a small sharp knife, cut a “V” shape into each slice. Position frogs, lily pads and sugar flowers on set jelly.
EQUIPMENT: 26cm x 35cm (10¼-inch x 14-inch) baking dish; 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) shallow pan; 25cm x 30cm (10-inch x 12-inch) rectangular cake board. Position frogs, lily pads and flowers on jelly no earlier than 1 hour before serving or the frogs will dissolve.
Note
